Proposals for a McDonald’s drive-thru just yards from one of Britain’s top state schools have been branded “outrageous and totally irresponsible” at a time of the childhood obesity epidemic.
The fast food giant is currently planning a new restaurant in St James’s Park, in the leafy town of Bishop’s Stortford, just 230m from where The Bishop’s Stortford High School is located.
The proposal comes as the latest analysis of childhood obesity shows that England will have the highest prevalence of obesity in Europe by 2030, with more than 35 per cent of adults living with obesity. While more than a third of children are currently overweight or obese, the Archives of Disease in Childhood reports.
The development is just 20 miles from the home of long-time school obesity campaigner Jamie Oliver, who is an active member of the local community.
While the project remains in the planning stages, teachers at The Bishop’s Stortford High School said The Independent that the chain could “significantly affect” the health and wellbeing of its 1,300 students.
Principal Dale Reeve said the school was moving to a new site in the autumn and warned more than 1,000 pupils could be just 230 meters from the Golden Arches if the drive-through went ahead.
“We’re going to have 1,300 students and I would expect a lot of them to gather at McDonald’s and of course they’re not going to be supervised,” he said.
“During the school day we see them in large numbers on our playground, but they are under our supervision and perfectly well behaved.
“We have a great reputation, but we think this project would impact that significantly.”
While there are plans to incorporate other retailers, including Central Co-operative and PureGym as part of the wider development, it has not inspired anger from local residents who fear the impact of cheap fast food so close to young pupils.
Headteacher Reeve added: “I am very concerned that the location of a fast food restaurant near our school could have disastrous consequences for the health and wellbeing of our students, and I am sure many parents and carers will agree.
“[The school] where we are right now has nothing like it. There will be more problems. Childhood obesity is an ongoing problem, and McDonald’s by its nature is open all day, whether it’s 24 hours or from early morning to late night.’
Child health campaigners, including Oliver, this week welcomed news from shadow health secretary Wes Streeting that Labor would ban the sale of highly caffeinated energy drinks to under-16s. But despite recommendations from numerous studies, there are no laws banning fast food outlets from opening near schools.
“Childhood obesity is a big problem,” said Reeve, whose school is set to move into a new development next year.
A two-week public consultation on plans to build a McDonald’s is currently being run by the site’s developer, Countryside, until 17 June.
Celebrity chef Jamie Oliver is a Bishop’s Stortford local and famously set out on a mission to make the country’s school dinners healthier.
He particularly criticized McDonald’s, describing the fast food giant’s beef as “unfit for human consumption”.
Developer Countryside is applying for planning permission for shops, restaurants, cafes and other services.
A McDonald’s spokesman said: “We believe that community feedback is an essential part of an effective planning process and we welcome the thoughts and views of local residents in Bishop’s Stortford.”
The BBC reports that if the proposed site and its restaurant are approved, construction will begin next year.
The Independent has contacted McDonald’s and Countryside for further comment.